Multi-chuck drill holder



June 1969 P. J. MARIN 3,447,614

MULTI-CHUCK DRILL HOLDER Filed March 4, 1966 PA UL J1. MA RIN INVENTOR.

F i g. I. /ownsand 70wnsend United States Patent 3,447,614 MULTI-CHUCK DRILL HOLDER Paul J. Marin, 94 Lagoon Road, Belvedere, Calif. 94920 Filed Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 531,936 Int. Cl. E21c 5/08 US. Cl. 173-141 9 Claims This invention relates to the transmission of mechanical energy and, more particularly, to apparatus for alternately coupling a pair of utilitarian members to a rotatable shaft.

In its broadest sense, the invention resides in a coupling unit in combination with a rotatable drive shaft capable of being axially shifted and a pair of rotatable driven members wherein, 'by a simple and quickly executed manual manipulation of a lever, one of the driven members may be readily connected to the drive shaft as the other member is disconnected therefrom. The lever is in the form of a handle which interconnects the driven members as a unit and allows a change from one to the other in a one-step operation. The disconnected member is moved simultaneously into a standby position where it remains until it is again ready for use or until the operation is reversed.

Both driven members are carried by a support which, in turn, is secured to the structure which mounts the drive shaft for rotation. As the driven members are shifted relative to the drive shaft, they move along arcuate paths and about an axis angularly disposed relative to the shaft. Thus, the disconnected driven member is disposed laterally of the drive shaft and at an angle relative thereto. This disposition of the components permits at least limited axial movement of the drive shaft and the driven member connected thereto without interference from the disconnected driven member notwithstanding the fact that the latter moves with the drive shaft.

Although the invention may be utilized in a number of different ways, its use hereinafter will be described with respect to a machine tool, specifically a drilling assembly wherein a rotating drill bit is shifted axially into and out of drilling relationship to a workpiece and wherein it is oftentimes necessary and desirable to immediately change from one drill bit to another. This is especially important where it is required to gain access to a metal conduit below a concrete floor or other surface. A heavy duty drill unit mounted on a carriage is moved into position adjacent to the area of the floor that is to be drilled. The drill bit required to penetrate the concrete floor is different from the drill bit required to drill into the metal conduit wall. These bits are generally carried at the end of elongated shafts which have heretofore been releasably connected by set screws or the like to the corresponding drive shaft of a single drive motor, the latter being mounted for reciprocation in a suitable manner on the carriage. In the alternative, two independent drill assemblies could be used but this, of course, increases equipment costs and maintenance.

If a drill from a single motor is used, considerable time must be spent in removing one drill bit from the motor shaft and replacing it with another. Generally, it is necessary to use hand-held tools to effect this changeover.

The present invention greatly simplifies the drilling operation by providing the above mentioned coupling unit which permits at least a pair of drill bits to be alternately coupled to the drive shaft of a motor capable of being shifted in opposite directions axially of its drive shaft. The drill bits are mounted at the outer ends of respective driven shafts which, in turn, are disposed in side-by-side 3,447,614 Patented June 3, 1969 "ice positions permitting immediate switching from one to the other as the need arises. The drill bit not in use will be in an out-of-the-way location and, although it is carried by the reciprocating portion of the drill unit, it does not engage the surface being drilled by virtue of its angular disposition relative to the drill bit in use.

Each drill bit is coupled to one end of a shaft in the usual manner and a journal structure is coupled to the opposite end of the shaft, there being a journal structure for each drill bit respectively. The journal structures form parts of the coupling unit, whereby the drill bits are rotatable with respect to the motor housing.

The journal structures are provided with oppositely directed pins and are disposed between a pair of spaced, slotted plates with the pins extending through the slots, whereby the journal structures are mounted on and may be reciprocated between the plates along arcuate paths by virtue of the arcuate shape of the slots. The journal structures are interconnected as a unit by a handle and the slots are so shaped such that movement of the handle outwardly of the drive shaft and to the side will cause one journal structure to move out of an operative position with its drill bit operably coupled to the drive shaft and simultaneously cause the other journal structure to move into such position with its drill bit operably coupled to the shaft. The shaft of each drill bit has a coupling device provided with a recess which automatically and complementally receives the polygonal end of the drive shaft as the corresponding journal structure moves into the aforesaid operative position. Also, a spring biases the journal into this position. If the end of the drive shaft is not aligned to immediately receive the coupling device, the latter may be manually rotated through an arc sufficient to effect this alignment. The spring then forces the coupling device onto the shaft. It is noted that a portion of the slot in each plate retains the corresponding journal structure in a position aligned with the drive shaft even though the shaft is not received within the coupling device.

The assembly is generally mounted on an upright stand having a rack and pinion unit coupled to the assembly and permitting the latter to be raised and lowered by the drill operator adjacent to the drill. Moreover, the coupling unit is accessible to the operator so that he may shift from one drill bit to the other without changing his position. The operator need merely to manipulate the handle which interconnects the journal structures to permit the drill bits to move together. as a unit. The spring bias force exerted upon the pins will automatically guide the pins of one journal structure into the central, laterally extending slot sections and into coupled relationship to the shaft as the pins of the other journal structure move in the arcuate sections of the slots and away from the central slot sections. Thus, the switch from one drill bit to the other is a one step operation and can be accomplished within a matter of seconds. The saving of time resulting from the use of this invention becomes extremely important in situations where a series of holes is to be drilled.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that it can be permanently attached to a drill motor or to the stand which carries the motor. It will not interfere with the movement of the stand and motor from place to place and can also accommodate a Water delivery passage which is oftentimes required to deliver water to the drill bit, especially when drilling into concrete or the like.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a coupling unit in combination with a rotatable drive shaft and a pair of members to be altemately driven wherein the unit mounts the driven members adjacent to each other and adjacent to the shaft so that a simple manual shifting of the driven members will cause the members to be rotated as a unit about an axis angularly disposed relative to the shaft to, in turn, cause one of the members to automatically move out of coupled relationship with the shaft as the other member moves into such coupled relationship.

Another object of the present invention is to provide power drive apparatus for alternately coupling one or the other of a pair of rotatable members to the rotatable drive shaft of a prime mover capable of being reciprocated axially of its shaft wherein the driven members are movable as a unit relative thereto along a track defined by the arcuate slots of a pair of spaced, slotted plates secured and extending laterally from the prime mover in opposed directions, whereby one driven member will automatically become connected to the shaft as the other member becomes disconnected therefrom and is moved to a standby position permitting the prime mover to be reciprocated without interference from the disconnected member notwithstanding the fact that the disconneced member moves with the prime mover as it is reciprocated.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of apparatus of the type described wherein the shaft has a polygonal end which may be complementally received within a polygonal recess on each driven member respectively to interconnect the latter and said shaft, and wherein the track-defining slots of said plates allow the driven member to be retained in axial alignment with the shaft even though the polygonal end of the latter is not in the proper disposition to be complementally received within the corresponding recess, whereby the driven member may be manually rotated until the aforesaid proper disposition is reached to thereby effect the immediate interconnection of the shaft and driven member.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a power tool for transmitting mechanical energy from the rotating shaft of a prime mover to either of a pair of rotatably mounted members to be driven wherein the attachment is simple and rugged in construction, can be made from commercially available, relatively inexpensive parts, and can be utilized with existing power tools with a minimum of modification thereto.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of the power drive apparatus of this invention, illustrating the way in which a pair of rotatable driven members are moved into and out of coupled relationship with the drive shaft of the prime mover;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of a slotted support plate forming a part of the apparatus and illustrating the specific configuration of the slot which permits the particular movements of the driven members when the latter are manually shifted.

FIG. 3 is across-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;and

FIG. 4 is a side-elevational view of the apparatus looking in the direction of lines 44 of FIG. 1.

In its preferred embodiment, the power drive apparatus of this invention denoted by the numeral is shown in FIG. 1 as being comprised of a prime mover 12 having a rotatable drive shaft 14 which, through the medium of a coupling unit 16, is adapted to be operably coupled to either of a pair of rotatable driven members 18 and 20 mounted on unit 16. For purposes of illustration only, apparatus 10 will be described as comprising a drilling tool, specifically such a tool capable of drilling into a concrete floor and then into a conduit having a metal wall. It will be understood, after the structural details have been learned, that apparatus 10 is suitable for use in a variety of applications where it is necessary to expeditiously transfer the rotation of a drive shaft to either of a pair of rotatable, driven members. On the other hand, the invention contemplates the converse of this energy transfer, i.e., the driven members may define independent sources of rotation which may be alternately coupled to the above-mentioned drive shaft. In either case, an energy transfer will occur, the transferred energy being in the form of rotation.

Prime mover 12 may be of any type but preferably is an electric motor 22 operated by a manually actuated switch 24 and coupled by cable means 26 to a source of electrical power. A gear reduction mechanism 28 interconnects the output shaft of motor 22 to shaft 14 so that the latter will rotate when motor 22 is energized.

Coupling unit 16 includes a pair of semi-circular support plates 30 each having an arcuate slot 32 adjacent to the arcuate periphery 34 thereof. A radial or laterally extending slot 36 is connected with and extends inwardly from slot 32 intermediate the face of the latter as shown in FIG. 2. Plates 30 are secured by bolts 38 to a block 40 coupled in any suitable manner to the corresponding extremity of mechanism 28. Plates 30 are symmetrically located relative to and depend from block 40 on opposed sides of the latter as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that slots 36 will be parallel to and on opposed sides of the longitudinal axis of shaft 14. Block 40 is provided with a central opening 42 which receives a bushing 44, the latter receiving shaft 14 and having an annular recess 46 therein in fluid communication with a pipe 48 which leads to a fluid source, such as a source of water. A valve 50 controls the flow of fluid through pipe 48. In this respect, shaft 14 has a central passage 52 and a lateral passage 54 which places recess 46 in fluid communication with passage 52.

Unit 16 also includes a pair of journal structures 56 and 58 which are substantially identical in construction. As shown in FIG. 3, journal structure 58 includes a bearing housing 60 having a pair of roller bearings 62 and 64 mounted therein for rotatably mounting a stub shaft 66 extending through housing 60 axially of bearings 62 and 64. Shaft 66 has a coupling device 68 secured at one end thereof, device 68 having a polygonal recess 70 for complementary receiving the polygonal end 72 of shaft 14.

Each of the journal structures 56 and 58 is provided with a pair of pins 74 which project outwardly from a pair of opposed sides of housing 60 and extend through one or the other of the slots of respective plates 30. As shown in FIG. 3, pins 74 of structure 58 are received within slot 36, the pins being threaded into respective bosses 76 which form parts of housing 60. The diameter of each of the pins 74 is such that the pins are movable along slots 32 and 36, whereby the corresponding journal structures may shift relative to plates 30. It is clear that the proximal faces of each journal structure are in relatively close proximity to the inner surfaces of plates 30; however, the journal structures are nonetheless free to move between the plates.

A handle 78 interconnects journal structures 56 and 58 so that the latter will move relative to plates 30 as a unit. Handle 78 includes a pair of rigid bars 80 which are interconnected at their ends by rigid pins 82 with bars 80 extending along the outer faces of respective plates 30. Each bar 80 interconnects the corresponding pins 74 of journal structures 56 and 58, it being clear in FIG. 3 that bars 80 have pin-receiving openings 84 which permit relative movement between pins 74 and bars 80. This eliminates any tendency for the various parts to become stressed as handle 78 is manipulated to shift journal structures 56 and 58 relative to plates 30.

Each pin 74 has a roller 86 on its outer end, each of the rollers 86 having a transversely concave outer peripheral surface 88 which bears against an elongated coil spring 90 normally under tension. As shown in FIG. 3, there is a pair of springs 90, each spring being disposed adjacent to the outer surface of the corresponding plate 30 and interconnected thereto by fasteners 92. As shown in FIG. 1, each spring 90 engages both rollers 86 on one side of the corresponding plate 30 and functions to bias the pins inwardly toward the junction between plates 30 and block 40. Thus, slots 32 and 36 of each plate 30 define a track to which is coupled the pins 74 of structures 56 and 58. It is clear that if a pin 74 of one of the struc- Members 18 and 20 may be of any configuration and the corresponding drill bits may also be of any desired construction. For purposes of illustration, member 18 has a shaft 94 to which is coupled at its outer end a drill bit in the nature of a hole cutter 96. Similarly, member 20 comprises a tubular shaft 98 having a drill bit 100 similar to that of member 18. Generally, shafts 94 and 98 are releasably secured in any suitable manner to corresponding stub shaft 66. This can be done by set screws or the like.

In use, apparatus will generally be quite heavy and cumbersome if it is to be put in use for the purpose of drilling concrete floors or metal conduit in sub-flooring. To this end, it preferably is mounted on an upright stand 102 (FIG. 4) having an elevating mechanism 104 coupled to the apparatus whereby the latter may be raised and lowered with respect to the surface which supports stand 102. For purposes of illustration, mechanism 104 comprises a rack and pinion unit manually operated by handle 106, the rack and pinion unit being connected either to coupling unit 16 or to prime mover 12. Initially, it will be desired to drill a hole into the concrete floor. For this purpose, drill bit 100 is used and journal structure 58 is to be disposed in the full line position of FIG. 1 when this drilling step is to be performed. If member 20 is in the dashed line position of FIG. 1, structure 56 will, of course, be adjacent to drive shaft 14 and it will be necessary, of course, to manipulate handle 78 so that driven member 20 is in place before apparatus 10 is lowered sufficiently to permit drill bit 100 to engage the surface.

With the operator standing on platform 108 of stand 102, handle 106 is rotated so that apparatus 10 is progressively lowered. The lowering of the apparatus continues during the drilling of the concrete and as soon as the hole 110 in the concrete is formed, apparatus 10 is elevated by swinging handle 106 in the opposite direction. Motor 22 is then deenergized and handle 78 is manipulated to change from one drill bit to the other. FIG. 1 illustrates this change-over wherein the lowermost end of handle 78 is moved downwardly a short distance to move pins 74 of journal structure 58 out of respective slots 36 and into slots 32. Thereupon, handle 78 is shifted by pulling on the lower pin 82 and pushing on the upper pin 82. This will cause structures 56 and 58 to move between plates until pins 74 of structure 56 become aligned with respective slots 36. Handle 78 is then released permitting the last mentioned pins to move into slots 36. As this occurs, coupling device 68 of member 18 automatically moves into coupled relationship with shaft 14. Here again, if shaft 14 is not properly aligned with the corresponding recess 70, shaft 94 can be manually rotated until device 68 shifts into place in coupled relationship to end 72.

The lengths of slots 36 allow pins 74 of each journal structure to be partially received therein even though end 72 is not received within recess 70 of the corresponding coupling device '68. This retains the drill shaft in axial alignment with shaft 14 until the drill bit shaft is manually rotated as mentioned above.

Although it is generally desirable to stop the operation of motor 22 to change from one drill bit to the other, it is conceivable that this change can be made while the motor remains energized. The speed of rotation of shaft 14 generally will not be so great as to cause structural damage to end 72 or devices 68. In this way, the drilling operation can be accelerated even further.

If water is to be used during the drilling of the concrete floor, valve 50 is opened allowing water to flow into recess 46 and through passage 54 into passage 52. Shafts 66 and 98 are tubular to pass the water to drill bit 100-. It is generally unnecessary to supply water or other lubricants to drill bit 96. Thus, valve 50 is closed before structure 56 is shifted into its operative position.

Apparatus 10 provides a simple means of using the same drive motor with a pair of drill bits. While the above description has been directed to only a pair of drill bits, it is clear that provision could be made for more than two of such tools. Plates 30 could be extended to accommodate three or more drill bits so that apparatus 10 would be proportionately more versatile and capable of performing functions requiring additional drill bits.

Maintenance of apparatus 10 is minimal by virtue of its simplicity and ruggedness in construction. Moreover, the various parts of the apparatus may be readily replaced if necessary. However, it is contemplated that such parts will provide a relatively long operating life for the apparatus.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In power drive apparatus: a support; a shaft rotatably mounted on the support; a pair of driven members; a journal structure for each member respectively, each journal structure being coupled with and rotatable relative to the corresponding member; means mounting said journal structures on said support for arcuate movement about an axis angularly disposed relative to the shaft and spaced from said journal structures; means interconnecting said driven members whereby the latter may be moved alternately into and out of a position aligned with said shaft; and means carried by each member for operably coupling the same to said shaft when the corresponding journal structure is in said position, whereby the member will rotate with said shaft.

2. A power drive apparatus comprising: a prime mover having a housing and a drive shaft extending outwardly and downwardly of the housing; means coupled with said housing for mounting the latter for vertical reciprocation; a pair of parallel plates mounted on said housing on opposed sides of said shaft, each plate having a first, arcuate slot and a second slot communicating with the first slot intermediate the ends of the latter, the first slots of said plates having respective, colinear central axes disposed substantially perpendicular to said shaft, the second slots of said plates being substantially parallel to said shaft; a pair of elongated driven members; a journal structure for each driven member respectively, each journal structure being disposed between said plates and being coupled with and rotatable relative to the corresponding driven member; pin means carried by each journal structure respectively for coupling the latter to the slots of said plates to permit the journal structure to be moved in opposed directions laterally of and beneath said shaft and relative to said plates, said pin means of each journal structure being movable into the second slots of said plates to dispose the journal structure in an operative position relative to the shaft to thereby position the corresponding driven member in axial alignment with the shaft; means on each driven member respectively for releasably connecting the same to said shaft when the corresponding journal structure is in said position; and a handle interconnecting the pin means of one of said journal structures and the pin means of the other journal structure, whereby the driven members are interconnected as a unit and one of driven members extends laterally from the shaft at an angle relative thereto when the other driven member is axially aligned with and connected to the shaft.

3. Power drive apparatus comprising: a prime mover having a rotatable shaft and being movable in opposed directions axially of said shaft; a support having a track and carried by said prime mover; a pair of elongated driven members, each member having a journal structure adjacent to one end thereof; a projection for each journal structure respectively, the projections being operably coupled to and movable along said track for mounting said journal structures on said support for guided movement alternately into and out of a position aligned with said shaft and about an axis angularly disposed relative to said shaft; means carried by each member for operably coupling the same to said shaft when the corresponding journal structure is in said position, whereby the member will rotate with said shaft; and mean-s interconnecting said structures to permit simultaneous movement thereof.

4. fPower drive apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said support has a slot defining said track, each projection including a pin, the pins extending into said slot and movable along the same to permit said structures to be guided into and out of said position, said interconnecting means including a handle interconnecting said pins.

5. Power drive apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said support is disposed on one side of the shaft and having a slot defining said track, said slot being provided with a pair of sections, one of said sections extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said shaft and the other section extending substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis and being connected to said first sect-ion, each projection being disposed within said slot and being movable from a first location in said one section to a second location in said other sec-tion at the extremity of the latter remote from said one section, each journal structure being in said position when the corresponding projection is in said second location, and means biasing each projection into said second location when the projection is aligned with said other section.

'6. Power drive structure as set forth in claim 3, wherein said support includes a pair of spaced plates, each plate having an 'arcuate first slot defining said track and a laterally extending second slot connected with and disposed intermediate the ends of the first slot, the second slots being parallel to and on opposed sides of the longitudinal axis of said shaft, said projections [including a pair of pins for each journal structure respectively, each pair of pins norm-ally extending through respective first slots of said plates and being movable along the first slots into first locations aligned with respective second slots and thereafter into said second slots to second locations at the extremities of the second slots remote from said first slots, each journal structure being in said position when its pins are in said second locations, means biasing the pins of each journal structure into said second locations when the pins are in said first locations, and .a handle defining said interconnecting means, said handle interconnecting a pin of one of the journal structures with the corresponding pin of the other journal structure.

7. Power drive apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein is included means coupled with said housing for raising and lowering the same.

8. Power drive apparatus comprising: a prime mover having a rotatable shaft and being movable in opposed directions axially of said shaft; a support having a track and carried by said prime mover; a pair of elongated driven members, each member having a journal structure adjacent to one end thereof; a projection for each journal structure respectively, the projections being opera'bly coupled to and movable along said track for mounting said journal structures on said support for guided movement :a'lterna'tely into and out of a position aligned with said shaft and about an axis angula-rly disposed relative to said shaft; means carried by each member for operably coupling the same to said shaft when the corre sponding journal structure is in said position, whereby the member will rotate with said shaft; and means biasing the projections against said track.

9. Power drive apparatus comprising: a prime mover having a rotatable shaft provided with a polygonal end, said prime mover being movable in opposed directions axially of said shaft; :a support carried by said prime mover; a pair of elongated driven members, each memher having a journal structure adjacent to one end thereof; means mounting said journal structures on said support for movement alternately into and out of a position aligned with said shaft and about an axis .angularly disposed relative to said shaft; and a coupling device having a polygonal recess complemental to said polygonal end of the shaft, said polygonal end being received within said recess as the corresponding journal structure moves into said position for operably coupling the same to said shaft, whereby the member will rotate with said shaft, said mounting means including a plate having an arcuate first slot having a central axis substantially perpendicular to the shaft and a second slot communicating with said first slot and being parallel to said shaft, said second slot having a length greater than the depth of said recess.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,209,650 12/1916 Eisler 77-25 2,303,565 12/1942 Luna 7725 2,481,642 9/1949 Bohmer et a1. 77-25 JAMES A LEPPINK, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 7725; 173-'50 

1. IN POWER DRIVE APPARATUS: A SUPPORT; A SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SUPPORT; A PAIR OF DRIVEN MEMBERS; A JOURNAL STRUCTURE FOR EACH MEMBER RESPECTIVELY, EACH JOURNAL STRUCTURE BEING COUPLED WITH AND ROTATABLE RELATIVE TO THE CORRESPONDING MEMBER; MEANS MOUNTING SAID JOURNAL STURCTURES ON SAID SUPPORT FOR ARCUATE MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS ANGULARLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO THE SHAFT AND SPACED FROM SAID JOURNAL STRUCTURES; MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID DRIVEN MEMBERS WHEREBY THE LATTER MAY BE MOVED ALTERNATELY INTO AND OUT OF A POSITION ALIGNED WITH SAID SHAFT; AND MEANS CARRIED BY EACH MEMBER FOR OPERABLY COUPLING THE SAME TO SAID SHAFT WHEN THE CORRESPONDING JOURNAL STRUCTURE IS IN SAID POSITION, WHEREBY THE MEMBER WILL ROTATE WITH SAID SHAFT. 